Detained Rochester journalist hopes to be home in time for sister's college graduation

Tuesday

Apr 26, 2011 at 3:15 AM

By JOSH ROSENSONjrosenson@fosters.com

ROCHESTER— James Foley, the local journalist who has been detained in Libya for three weeks, still hopes to make it home in time for his sister's college graduation next month.

Foley, 37, was able to call home Saturday and speak with his mother Diane for the first time since his April 5 capture, something the family views as the first positive step toward his release.

"He did say he was praying and he felt our prayers," Diane said Monday. "He seemed positive. He's in prison. He's not allowed to move. They are feeding him, and he is drinking. They are probably going to detain him for awhile, and he asked me to be patient. Just hearing his voice made me want him home today, but just hearing his voice was a gift."

James reported he has been treated well, but said the process for release seemed slow and there are a number of steps.

Diane said the State Department contact at the Libyan desk has been calling the family periodically, and made contact on Monday.

"He felt the fact we got a phone call was good news, but he had no new news regarding the release," Diane said.

A correspondent for GlobalPost, James initially planned to return in time for his sister Katie's college graduation on May 20, and after speaking with him over the weekend, Diane said it is still her son's hope.

James, along with three other journalists, was captured by pro-Gadhafi forces in Brega. Clare Gillis, an American journalist was able to contact her parents via phone on Thursday after she, James, and Spaniard Manu Brabo were transferred from a military prison to a civilian prison in Tripoli on April 19.

Visit www.freefoley.org to sign a petition supporting the release of Foley, Gillis, Manu Brabo of Spain and Anton Hammerl of South Africa. Links to Facebook pages, news updates, James' blog and a downloadable "Free Foley" poster are all accessible via the website.

The petition began with the goal of reaching 10,000 signatures. The goal has been updated to 25,000 signatures, and as of Monday had more than 28,000 signatures supporting the efforts to release the imprisoned journalists.

Diane noted the amount of signatures on the petition is much higher than she anticipated.